Several Factors Are Associated With Point-of-Care Hidradenitis Suppurativa Treatment Decisions

A recent retrospective cohort study has identified several important clinical factors to be considered during the development a hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) treatment plan.

The study included 437 patients with HS ages 18 to 64 years at enrollment with at least 5 monitoring periods of 3 months’ duration. The study’s goal was to assess factors associated with disease severity as measured by point-of-care decisions on receipt or escalation of treatment for HS. Historically, studies evaluating factors associated with disease severity in HS and treatment are limited.
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The average monitoring time of patients with HS was 4.2 years. The frequency of patients with HS with no treatment decreased over the monitoring period, while the frequency for receipt of treatment increased. Care by a dermatologist provided the strongest predictor of having received treatment for HS, and it was also associated with increased odds of escalating treatment. Tobacco smoking was associated with treatment escalation over time, while obesity and male sex were not associated with treatment or escalation. The likelihood of receiving or escalating treatment was increased between ages 18 and 39 years.

The researchers concluded that clinician type, tobacco smoking, and age may be important clinical factors that patients and clinicians may consider in developing partnered short- and long-term treatment strategies.

Garg A, Besen J, Legler A, Lam CS. Factors Associated With Point-of-Care Treatment Decisions for Hidradenitis Suppurativa. JAMA Dermatol. Published online ahead of print Feb. 3, 2016.